With the 2019/2020 season now under way, Campbelltown Collegians Cricket Club have reached an amazing milestone, with the local club celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary this year.
The Gregory Hills based club first formed in 1969, when an Under 11 Boys team was entered in the Camden District Cricket Association from St. John The Evangelist Primary School. Some of the Dads involved were also the founders of the Campbelltown Catholic Club.
“We adopted the Collegians name in the early 1970’s and we ran as junior and senior administrations, until we merged them in 2010 which coincided with our 40th Anniversary. The club has had as many as 20 teams in junior and senior competitions and have won over 30 premierships across the ages and grades we have participated in. We have also had a long-standing partnership with St Gregory’s College, which to this day is our home ground and training facility” said Alan Bell, Patron of the Campbelltown Collegians Cricket Club.
Over the years, the “Collies” have been associated with many community-based programs. This has included Active After School Activities for local primary schools, MILO In2Cricket – where their young cricketers had the opportunity to play during the lunch interval at the Sydney Cricket Ground and NAIDOC Week activities in Bradbury. For the last five years, the club has run an All-Abilities program for disabled and handicapped children at St Gregory’s College, which saw their President win a national competition for Homegrown Heroes during the BBL.
“The Club is known in the area as the ‘Family Club’. It is this sense of sport for enjoyment and inclusion of all that has made us a club to be admired. There is a strong sense of community and the players, committee and supporters all contribute to what we believe is the true spirit of cricket. This was acknowledged by the District umpires, who awarded our club the inaugural Spirit of Cricket Award for Fair Play. We are all proud of this award” explained Alan.
They will be celebrating the milestone with a formal dinner on 21st March 2020 at the Campbelltown Golf Club.
Throughout the year, they will have other events and get togethers as the season progresses. For more information, search ‘Campbelltown Collegians Cricket Club’ on Facebook or visit their website at www.colliescricket.nsw.cricket.au.